1. SCOPE

This item description covers the extended cold weather balaclava hood which provides
Protection for the face, neck and head in cold weather conditions.
2. CLASSIFICATION

The finished hood shall be of one type and in one size to fit all.
3. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

3.1 Design and construction. The hood shall be a pull over the head style with an
adjustable face opening, allowing it to be worn up over the nose, or down under the
chin (see figure 1). The hood shall have two piles of the knitted cloth with a tightly
woven 100% nylon material; the total weight of the hood shall be 4 + 1 ounces. The
wind barrier interlining between the plies in the face area shall extend a minimum of
five (5) inches past the top center of the hood and shall be anchored to prevent
shifting. The interlining shall be caught in the binding all around the opening not
affecting the stretch, to allow protection against wind. The interlining shall have a cut
out in the mouth area.

Note: The figure is furnished solely for guidance and information. The face side of the
lining fabric shall finish toward the wearer.

3.2 Basic materials
3.2.1 Knitted cloth. The finished cloth for the hood shall be washable wool, not lower
than 64’s U.S. Standard, which may be blended with a maximum of 15 percent
synthetic fiber, and dyed Black 472. The finished cloth shall be constructed in a
1X1 rib knit and conform to the minimum requirements listed below when tested.
3.2.2 Matching. The color and appearance of the dyed and finished cloth shall match
the standard sample, Black 472.

1. One sample shall be provided to visually determine the requirement. The results
shall be reported as pass or fail.
2. Requirement for single ply of the base knit material.
3. The wales shall be counted on one side of the fabric only.

3.2.3 Thread. The thread for seeming and edge finishing, shall be Black 472, polyester
or cotton-covered.
3.2.4 Interlining. The wind barrier interlining shall be tightly woven nylon material
conforming to the requirements
3.2.5 Seams and stitching. Seam allowances shall be maintained with seams sewn so
that no raw edges, runoffs, pleats, puckers or open seams occur. Thread tension
shall be maintained so that no tight or loose stitching will result. Overedge
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stitching shall be 3/16 to ¼ inch wide. Type 401 or 504 stitching shall be used to
seam the upper portion of the hood together. Both ends of the stitching produced
with the 401 stitching shall have ½ inch chain extending between each end. Type
504 or 505 stitching shall be used on the face opening and bottom edges of hood.

3.3 Labels. Each hood shall have two (One in English and One in Dari) combination
identification and care labels attached. The required labels shall have the following
information:
REQUIRED:

Materials
Origin of Material
Origin of Manufacture
WASH BY HAND, COOL WATER
SQUEEZE, DON’T WRING
LAY FLAT, SHAPE, AIR DRY
DO NOT MACHINE WASH, DRY, OR BLEACH

EXAMPLE:
100% Nylon
WASH BY HAND, COOL WATER
SQUEEZE, DON’T WRING
LAY FLAT, SHAPE, AIR DRY
DO NOT MACHINE WASH, DRY, OR BLEACH

(A) Place hood on a flat surface and align bottom edges of front and back, close top
and bottom edges of the face opening. With hood in this position, measure length
in a straight line from folded edge at center of crown to bottom of hood.

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(B)With hood positioned as indicated above, measure across the hood in a straight
line from folded edge at face opening.

(C) Place hood on a flat surface and fold in half lengthwise, pull hood so the
curvature along side edges of face opening is straight. Measure along the edge of
face opening from fold at center front to fold at center neck.

3.5 End item performance testing. The finished hood shall neither shrink nor elongate
more than 7.0 percent maximum in wither the length or width direction.